SouthernComfort

A couple of thoughts spring to mind. Pro's and con's will always have you torn, the heart vs. the head is a tricky conundrum. All I can say is, as far as power goes (mid range overtaking power particularly), don't underestimate the Style's 1.4 turbo, it has seriously surprised me (in both the Octavia and previous Golf) on the occasions I've needed it most, stick your foot down and it shifts even in D, I rarely use Sport. The RS may launch you into space, but the 1.4 (1.9 secs longer 0-100kph) will keep you as safe as you need to be on earth. 19in wheels are standard on the RS, but 18in is regarded by many as the sweet spot. The lower profile tyres on the 19's will give you a harsher ride on anything other than super smooth highways. So your typical driving environment will be relevant. NZ pricing must must different to ours in AU. When I bought my Style in Jan '23 with all it's factory options, including many of the things you've listed for the RS, it was offered at A$53k. The RS with all its gear (but still without some of my options) was offered at A$64k. I did some negotiating and ended up paying A$49k drive away i.e. A$15k less than the RS. Made the decision easy for me, but I can see your point if you've narrowed that difference and feel it's worth the outlay. Best wishes with whatever decision you make, have fun and keep us posted!

....a couple of points I should add: I didn't take the service plan and I've never done so in the past. The individual dealer services cost slightly more than they would on the plan and are also subject to increase year on year, but I'm not one to lock myself into fixed plans. I have a good independent VW/Audi/Skoda mechanic who I may turn to even before the 7yrs warranty is up, so I'm reserving that option. My consumption is around 5L/100km on long highway runs, 6-7 urban on 98RON

Welcome to the forum. Not NZ, but close enough! You get the same models in NZ as we have here in AU. I have a fully optioned Style (1.4L with Aisin 8sp) and I have to say it's a fabulous car. The motor is very punchy, the pickup on overtaking is amazing. I came from a 1.4L 7sp DSG Golf so I was used to (the same) engine, plenty powerful enough everywhere you want to go. The 8sp is a great cruiser on long distances. Personally I wouldn't go back to a DSG, I find the Aisin box is smoother, especially at low speeds and it seems to know it's own mind (so to speak) whereas I felt the DSG was twitchy in deciding which gear it needed to be in. Even though I have every factory option (tech & lux packs, pan sunroof etc etc.) the equivalent vRS would have cost me $15k more at the time of purchase. For me, the Style was a no-brainer. I can't comment on your dealer situation in NZ however I've had no issues here, although only the first service completed so far.

Well if you're already armed with that info, good luck with the claim.

Ok, now we know it was an error by a factory operative? Details certainly matter.

Semantics?? If the finish is different and now seemingly without fault as described above, the manufacturing is modified to achieve this in my book. Doesn't matter, the point is, earlier versions are clearly defective and therefore unacceptable.

Just my 2 cents worth: Since they have obviously seen fit to 'modify' the design/finish from '22 on, it virtually suggests Skoda's admission that the earlier ones were substandard. For the sheer principal of it if nothing else, it would be worth taking it further imho. As for the dealer / Skoda Aus buck passing, it's classic avoidance behaviour, surely hoping the hapless customer eventually gives up. I had a similar experience with another brand and their dealerships, a not uncommon industry tactic methinks!

The warranty in Aus starts from date of first registration.

No mate, leave it alone. Just have it serviced per the schedule, absolutely avoid e10 (in any car), use 95 or preferably 98 if you can afford it.

Whatever the explanation, I'm actually happy with the cable I have, as I've previously posted. Even if I had decided to go for one of these, I have no other way of procuring it, so I guess I've saved a few bucks! Happy days.

I doubt it. Whenever delivery to our region isn't applicable, which sometimes occurs from foreign Amazon regions, the message is always specific in that context i.e. it wouldn't say the item is "out of stock", or "we don't know if or when the item will be available", it would simply say "delivery unavailable to your region". This particular situation is very odd.

Strange indeed, no idea what's going on. I've clicked on your link each time I've looked. For some bizarre reason I must be getting a different page, even though it's taken me to Amazon UK as it should. Just for your interest, here's a screenshot of what I'm seeing:

It's still out of stock!! To quote Amazon: "we don't know when or if this item will be back in stock". Searched exhaustively and can't find this exact cable anywhere.

Indeed. It's a big issue when it's a gamble on finding a charging point even if you were prepared to break your journey to use one. My ICE will get me from Melbourne to Sydney (700km) on less than a tank. An EV would barely get me half way with the prospect of no charge point wherever it runs flat, and that's on an interstate highway not a country lane.

I realise this won't help the OP any, but I do empathise and I don't think the lack of support is limited to Skoda. I wouldn't touch an EV of any flavour with a proverbial barge pole. At the very least, not until there's substantially improved Evehicle technology, reliability and support infrastructure and that's many years away in this country. Here we have our Federal and State Govt's all hell bent on flogging the attributes (?) of EV's as part of their climate change/emissions reduction agenda, yet in practice the things are all but useless outside of the major cities. In fact the EV infrastructure in our cities is still sadly lacking. As for venturing into the real wilderness, or even just on very long interstate drives, forget it. Tesla's with flat batteries abandoned on rural highways are not unheard of, you have to wonder what the owners were thinking or expecting....

I like this. I thought mine was pretty neat but this is better! I had a look at the Amazon page but it appears to be out of stock at the moment. I'll get one if it becomes available again. The separate elbow connector I needed with mine (on the Garmin Mini 2) has always niggled me a bit, makes it look slightly clumsy.

My petrol definitely doesn't do it. Sounds like a battery/electric drive issue.

Correct. 1st gear never selected when driving.

Same engine as my Octavia, 1.4TSI. The Golf had a 7sp dry clutch, AFAIK the wet clutch only went into the higher torque models. The wet clutch was reputed to be a smoother unit, somewhat academic though. I am aware of the attributes of S, I alternated between D & S frequently. Frankly it made little if any difference to the situation we're talking about here.

FWIW I've previously commented about my experience with DSG (Mk7 Golf). Broadly speaking it often seemed confused about which gear it needed to be in. Hilly country exacerbated the situation somewhat, the box would hunt up and down to the point of annoyance to trying to work itself out. It's over-revving in too low a gear was common. There are odd occasions when my 8sp TC trans in the Octavia does a similar thing, but rarely. Overall I find the 8sp a smoother gearbox.

Well intentioned as our comments were from non-UK markets, they were based on generalities concerning the foibles experienced in early models. You already know what you have to do to about that. Determining spec differences between MkIV model years in UK delivered vehicles may well be different to those elsewhere, depending on the customising options made available in the UK. Best wishes with your project.

I agree with CKO, if possible go as late as you can afford. Early ('20-'21) MkIV's did suffer a few problems, mostly software related which were largely sorted out from MY22. I think the specs are pretty much unchanged otherwise, barring the odd minor tweak such as your virt. cockpit screen. Having said that, if any early problems have been rectified on the used car you're looking at, you should be fine - check the car's service/maintenance records for updates.

A very useful thread! Thanks to the OP for raising it and to those who have demystified the process, now I'm inspired to set mine up.

I too was assuming 'arms' meant 'blades'. Why would wiper arms wear out? Never seen it happen.

I find UV is the biggest killer of rubber blades, turning them brittle. Averagely they should last longer than 2 years though, does your car live in the open most of the time, or do you do high mileage? Of course, wiper blades are consumables like tyres and brake pads, so not under the standard warranty. It's a favourite revenue spinner for dealers, they'll always tell you your wiper blades need replacing - $$$! I haven't got to that stage with mine yet but when they genuinely need replacing I'd normally buy new the blade cassettes and fit them myself. I haven't priced them but I wouldn't pay a dealer to do it.